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Council approves preliminary plat for 4-lot Lafferty Ranch, preserves emergency egress through future apartment tract
Summary
A 15.3-acre preliminary plat dividing property into four two-acre lots and reserving a tract for a future 82-unit apartment complex was approved unanimously; the design includes a 50-foot ingress/egress easement that will serve as an emergency route to the Butterfly cul-de-sac.
The Prescott City Council unanimously approved PLN25-002 on Oct. 14, granting preliminary plat approval for Lafferty Ranch, a proposal that divides approximately 15.3 acres into four residential lots and a tract designated for a future 82-unit apartment development.
Assistant planner Jacob Lund told council the four lots meet RE-2 (rural estate 2-acre) zoning requirements; Lots 1–4 are approximately two acres each and Lot 2 required a restricted building envelope because portions exceed a 20% slope. The parcel to the south was rezoned in October 2024 to multifamily medium density to accommodate proposed apartments; that rezoning was approved by the council previously (Ordinance No. 2024-1876).
The plat includes Tract A — a 50-foot ingress/egress and public utility easement that will provide access from State Route 69 into the subdivision and through the future apartment tract. Applicant Gary Kelly of Kellywise Engineering confirmed the easement extends to a hammerhead turnaround and connects to a gated emergency-only maintenance/egress route to the Butterfly cul-de-sac and Yavapai Hills Unit 2; he said the easement will be available for emergency use by the lots and the apartments.
Council members asked for assurance that owners of Lots 1–4 and future apartment residents would have access over Tract A in emergencies. Kelly said the proposed public utility/easement can be documented to include emergency egress rights; staff noted coordination with public works and fire regarding easement width and turnaround dimensions had occurred.
Staff found the preliminary plat met the seven items for preliminary plat review and recommended approval. The Planning and Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended approval (7-0) on Sept. 25, 2025. The council approved the preliminary plat 5-0.
Staff noted remaining items to be addressed in final plat submittal and construction plan review, including detailed engineering, utility installation and any required deed restrictions documenting easement use.
